Sports

Eguavoen, Amuneke Combo For S’Eagles

Published

4 years ago

February 9, 2022

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has reversed its decision to appoint Jose Peseiro as coach of the national team and retained Augustine Eguavoen on an interim basis with Emmanuel Amuneke as a new addition.
Former Super Eagles captain Eguavoen led Nigeria to the last 16 at the Africa Cup of Nations, but Peseiro was expected to take over after the tournament.
However, the NFF has now confirmed that Eguavoen, 56, will remain in charge of the three-time African champions ahead of the two-legged 2022 World Cup play-off against Ghana next month.
He will be assisted by former international, Emmanuel Amuneke, after a good showing by the team in Cameroon.
“We acknowledge and appreciate the interest that Jose Peseiro has shown during our very cordial discussions and have absolutely no doubt about his capacity. We believe that perhaps in the future, there could be an opportunity to work with him,” NFF general secretary, Mohammed Sanusi said.
“However, in view of the positive performance at the Africa Cup of Nations, we have decided to accept the recommendation of the technical and development committee to retain the Eguavoen-led coaching crew.”
Eguavoen, who is technical director of the NFF, had backed the appointment of Peseiro as his successor at the end of the tournament.
However, the decision to overlook the Portuguese came as no surprise.
Two days ago, NFF president, Amaju Pinnick, told a local television station that he had informed former Porto and Sporting CP boss, Peseiro, to wait until the end of March for possible employment.
“I am still talking to him,” Pinnick said.
“Maybe he has to wait till after the World Cup qualifiers and if, in the course of his waiting, he got another job, we wish him well. The good news is that we did not sign the contract officially.”
Nigeria sacked long-serving boss, Gernot Rohr, just four weeks before the Nations Cup, with Eguaoven taking charge for the third time in his career.
In late December a deal r the Super Eagles.was agreed for Peseiro to eventually take over the Super Eagles.
The Super Eagles were the only side to win all three group games in Cameroon but were then beaten 1-0 by Tunisia in the last 16.
Critics of Eguavoen pointed to his poor game management against the North Africans and the fall-out from Nigeria’s exit polarised opinions in the country , hence the decision to draft in Amuneke, who led Tanzania to the 2019 Nations Cup, as assistant coach.
Salisu Yusuf and former Everton defender Joseph Yobo are also on the coaching staff, while Aloysius Agu remains as goalkeeping coach.
Amuneke, the 1994 African Footballer of the Year, previously managed his country’s youth teams, Sudanese club SC Khartoum and Egyptian side Misr El-Makkasa.
He was the assistant coach when Nigeria won the Under-17 World Cup trophy for a record fourth time in the United Arab Emirates in 2013.
Two years later, Amuneke led the Golden Eaglets to a fifth U17 World Cup title in Chile and, revered as a proven youth manager, he was swiftly promoted to coach the Nigeria’s U20 side, the Flying Eagles.
As a player, he was a key part of the Super Eagles team alongside Eguavoen, scoring both goals in the 1994 Nations Cup final where Nigeria beat Zambia 2-1 to secure their second African title.
He also played for the Super Eagles at the 1994 World Cup, scoring memorable goals against Bulgaria and Italy.

Sports

New W.W. Whyte Tournament Focuses On Talent Discovery – Engr. Alabere

Published

3 days ago

November 19, 2025

The Tide

The Chairman of Grassroots Initiative, Engr. Promise Alabere has reiterated that the New W.W. Whyte Secondary Football Tournament was to discover hidden players from the grassroots and groom them to stardom.

He stated that the his organisation is partnering with the Niger Delta Development Commission ( NDDC) for the football tournament, adding that in the first edition 32 players were discovered and NDDC, and his organisation are to fixing them into various clubs.

Engr. Alabere said this while briefing sports journalists last Tuesday, in Port Harcourt, and expressed optimism that the second edition which have 22 secondary schools participating would be exciting and impressive.

” The essence of this tournament is to catch them young because in the 1980s and 1990s most of the players that played for NNPC, Sharks and other big clubs in the country were discovered through this competition.

” Even me I was a product of the W.W. Whyte tournament, as I started playing for the Nigerian Police football club when I was in class four. But this competition stopped about 20 years when two schools resort to bloody clash during one of their games.

According to him the second edition expanded to schools in six Local Government Areas, saying that it will be better than the previous in terms of organisation and others.

“We want to make this edition more exciting and beneficial to all participating schools because the first edition was on experiment but this edition is no longer an experiment” he stated.

The Chairman of Grassroots Initiative,used the forum to advice all participating schools to conduct themselves in a good manner and adhere to rules of the competition.

He equally thanked NDDC for being its major sponsor of the tournament.

Tonye Orabere

Sports

Hoopers Ready For NPBL Title Defence – Captain

Published

4 days ago

November 18, 2025

The Tide

Rivers Hoopers captain Victor Anthony Koko has said that his team is mentally ready for the challenge of retaining their Nigeria Premier Basketball League title when the 2025 season Final Four phase holds from November 21 – 23 in Port Harcourt, Tidesports source reports.
The Kings Men, who won back-to-back NPBL titles in 2023 and 2024 unbeaten, are chasing their seventh title.
They will be up against Lagos Legends, Gboko City Chiefs, and Nigeria Customs, as they hope to retain the title they won last year and also pick the ticket to next year’s Basketball Africa League.
Following the conclusion of the Final Eight earlier this month, the KingsMen have had time to fine-tune preparations ahead of their title defence at the Final Four, with the skipper stating that he and his teammates are fully prepared to retain the championship.
“This time around, everyone is ready; everyone is mentally ready. We understand what is at stake, so we need to go all out. And right now, with the level of energy I’ve seen from my team during practice, I don’t think we’re going to be a team that just wants to have fun [on the court]. We’re a championship-winning team, and we want to retain that championship,” he stressed.
Koko has won the league seven times in his career, and he is looking to help the Port Harcourt club reach its height.
“I want us to win the 2025 NPBL title. It’s on my mind, day and night: Hoopers Champions. And I’m assuring our fans that we’re not going to let them down. It’s happening here in Port Harcourt, and we’re going to make them proud.”

Sports

Barau Beat Rangers To Move Out Of Relegation Zone

Published

4 days ago

November 18, 2025

The Tide

Nigeria Premier Football League newcomers, Barau FC have zoomed out of the drop zone after they defeated Rangers International FC 2-0 on Sunday in a rescheduled tie played in Kano.
The Maliya Boys got their goals through Muhammed Umar and Joseph Kemin in the 26th and 76th minutes to record their third win of the season
They have moved to the 16th spot with 13 points from 12 games but the loss by the Flying Antelopes see them slid to the seventh spot with 19 points from 13 games.
The home win is no doubt a relief to Barau FC head coach, Ladan Bosso who has seen his job brought under scrutiny following the Maliya Boys impressive start to the season.